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Foamed fluid additive for underbalance drilling

a technology of foaming fluid and additive, which is applied in the direction of borehole/well accessories, animal/human proteins, cytokeratin, etc., can solve the problems of agglomeration of drilling solids, and ineffective foaming of cationics, so as to reduce hydrostatic pressure

Active Publication Date: 2011-08-09
WEATHERFORD TECH HLDG LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides methods for drilling oil and gas wells using a drilling fluid containing a hydrolyzed keratin composition and a gas. The amounts of these components are sufficient to reduce the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid to a level below that of the formation being drilled. The invention also provides a method for controlling the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid by adjusting the amount of keratin or gas present to achieve a desired pressure level. Additionally, the invention provides a method for injecting a gas lift composition containing keratin and gas into production fluids to increase well production.

Problems solved by technology

However, one difficulty in mist or dry gas drilling where water seeps into the bore and accumulates in the drilling zone is that the drilled solids tend to agglomerate as the drill string rotates.
Numerous foam compositions have been proposed and used, however most have proven unsatisfactory in one respect or another.
Among the various classes of foaming compositions are nonionics; however, these are affected by salts and high temperatures encountered in drilling.
Although many anionic surfactants provide acceptable foams in soft waters, they form foam breaking precipitates in the presence of brine and / or hard water.
Cationics are ineffective foamers because of their intolerance to high salinity.
However, none of these patents disclose the use of keratins in underbalanced drilling applications as biodegradable, highly effective foaming agent or agent when added to the drilling fluid along with a gas significantly reduces column overhead pressure and reduces column hydrostatic pressure to a value less than or equal to the hydrostatic pressure of the formation.

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0024]The inventors have found that a bio-degradable foaming composition for using in underbalanced or controlled pressure drilling can be formulated, where the foaming composition including an amino acid bio-material such as keratin. The foamer can be introduced into an underbalanced drilling system using conventional methods. The foamer can also be an additive in production chemicals, especially where the production chemicals are injected into a producing oil and / or gas well through a capillary tubing string downhole, where the foaming agent and gas are allowed to commingle downhole with production fluids to generate a foam that lightens the hydrostatic pressure of the column increasing an amount of production fluids produced by the well. The foamer can also be introduced into a producing well via a soap stick including a foaming composition of this invention. The difference in this invention is in the use of an unique environmentally friendly foamer for underbalance drilling appl...

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PUM

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Abstract

A method of drilling or gas-lifting is disclosed where the methods including the use of a foaming agent and a gas, where the foaming agent is a keratin and the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in the well is for a portion of the drilling or gas-lift operation less than an hydrostatic pressure of the formation being drilled or under production.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a method for underbalanced drilling including the step of drilling an oil and / or gas well with a drilling fluid including a biodegradable foaming composition and a gas. The present invention also relates to a method for gas lift production including the step of injecting a gas and a foaming agent into the production fluids to decrease a column hydrostatic pressure and increase fluids production.[0003]More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for underbalanced drilling including the step of drilling an oil and / or gas well with a drilling fluid including a biodegradable foaming composition and a gas, where the foaming composition includes a keratin. Analogously, the foaming composition and gas are suitable for gas lift production operations.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]In oil and gas drilling operations, it has been the almost universal practice up until ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): E21B43/00
CPCC09K8/38C07K14/4741E21B21/14E21B21/08
Inventor ZAMORA, FRANKKAKADJIAN, SARKIS
Owner WEATHERFORD TECH HLDG LLC
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